Follow by Email

Saturday, 4 June 2011

Twelve Areas of The Leadership Style of Joseph

Title :

Twelve Areas of The Leadership Style of Joseph

Preacher :

Dr. 'Tunde Bakare

Main Texts: Genesis 39:1-6

“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt …the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favour in his sight, and SERVED him…” – Genesis 39:1-3

Joseph did not just become a leader over night – God took him through process – he was a seasoned leader. God does not use an untested vessel; He only uses men and women whose lives have been shaped by Him.

Joseph’s leadership style is evident in the following:

Servant-leader: The first quality in Joseph’s style of leadership is that he was a servant-leader – he served his master. Although Joseph came to Potiphar’s house as a slave, through diligent service he became an overseer. He served assiduously and painstakingly in every capacity he found himself, regardless of the congruous or preposterous nature the work may pose. He found joy in serving. The way up is the way down – if you keep on serving in any capacity you find yourself, not considering the blackguard or ridicule, you are already great. Remember, Joseph served joyfully, even in prison. Hence you must develop a mentality of serving if you want to be great. A servant-leader is not a self-serving leader, rather one with mind-set to serve the people. – Mark 9:35; 10:43; Matthew 20:26; Luke 9:48; Matthew 25:21-23; Luke 19:17.

Faithful servant-leader: Secondly, Joseph was not just a servant-leader, but also a faithful servant-leader – integrity and faithfulness were his watchwords. Joseph was a Hebrew; he did not belong to anyone with pedigree, yet, Potiphar committed all that he has in his care. He was faithful to the core. There was no single case of embezzlement or defalcation in his administration. Rather, everything that Potiphar has begun to prosper. Therefore, your nativity or tribe is not the issue; the real issue is the degree of your faithfulness. Faithfulness is an international currency – it pays every where. When you are faithful, you never can tell the good thing that will come to you as a result of your faithfulness. Increase is the reward of faithfulness. A faithful man abounds in blessings! – Matthew 24:45-47; 25:21-23; Luke 12:42-44; 19:17; 16:12.

Loyal servant-leader: Thirdly, not only was Joseph a faithful man with impeccable character; he also perceptively handled false accusation and animosity with discretion. He was sexually harassed; yet he did not show any propensity of disgust or revulsion to his duty. Joseph’s loyalty to his master restrained him from falling to Mrs. Potiphar’s promiscuous attitude and insistence lecherous proposes. Loyalty was part of his core competent. His loyalty to his master constrained him from messing around with his master’s wife and his loyalty to his God forbade him from sinning to God. Joseph deemed it an evil act to fall to his master’s wife’s enticement. Brethren, if you are not loyal to the core, opportunity will present itself for you to short-change other people. –Genesis 39:7-13.

Reliable: Until Joseph landed in prison for an offence he never committed, he never had any formal administrative background. However, the warder appointed Joseph as the chief administrative officer of Pharaoh’s prisoners’ internment. Joseph was absolutely reliable, even in confinement; he needed little or no supervision. In fact, he interpreted accurately other people’s dreams while his was yet to be fulfilled. –Genesis 39:21-23.

Faith in God’s Counsel: In spite of the animosities and ordeals Joseph went through, he strongly believed what God has said to come to pass. The ‘Lord’s counsel’ in this regard does not mean a piece of advice, rather God’s predetermined purpose. Whatever predetermined purpose of God for your life cannot be changed or voided by Satan and his cohorts combined. However, if you don’t know the counsel of God concerning your life, you cannot be established. Nonetheless, if you know it, you cannot accelerate it; you can only cooperate with it, embrace it and let God’s process take its full course. Whenever God shows or reveals to you twice, something that pertains to a particular issue in your life, it is an assurance that His counsel concerning the matter shall surely and definitely come to pass. Therefore, don’t let anything or any body talk you out of your destiny! You must stand in the counsel of God. – Genesis 41:1-32; Proverbs 19:21; Psalms 33:11; Isaiah 46:9, 10; Job 33:14-18.

Altruistic: Joseph was a selfless leader – he showcased unselfish concern for the welfare of everyone he came to know in the course of life. He cared selflessly for his inmate colleagues. What epitomised his selflessness was the humility he demonstrated before Pharaoh by giving the king the liberty to choose whosever he will in the matter of administration regarding the impending dearth. He was also a team-player – he worked corporately with other leaders – Genesis 41:32-37.

Discreet and Wise: The seventh quality of Joseph’s leadership style was that he was prudent and judicious in his duty. He was absolutely circumspect in words and deeds; he was able to keep silence about a matter where prudence requires it. Joseph was tactful in his assignment – Genesis 41:33.

Spirit-filled: Joseph was able to exhibit discreet and wisdom in his obligation and responsibility as a result of being filled with the Spirit of God. He was a spirit-filled leader, not demon-possessed or demon-inspired. That was the secret of Joseph’s success – Genesis 41:33-38.

Living Epistle: Joseph was a gospel personified – his life brought forth the plan and purpose of God for his generation. He had lifestyle evangelism. The Spirit of God in him manifested in different kind of aspects of God’s attributes. Recognizing the manifestation of God’s Spirit in Joseph, Pharaoh named him “Zaphnath-Paaneah” meaning, “Jehovah lives and He speaks” – 2 Corinthians 3:3.

Hands-on: Joseph did not just delegate authority and responsibility, but also actively participated and supervised the administration of the entire land. It is crucial you understand that God brings people to the place of power and authority in order to serve the people, not self.

Just and Fair: In Joseph’s administration of resources, he ensured that each city had a storage centre to cater for that city – Genesis 41:47-49.

Hoarder (Saver): Joseph was not a callous leader who accumulates things and hides them away for future or for himself. He opened the store houses for the people so that they can benefit from his wisdom, skill, and ingenuity. “The people will curse him who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it” – Proverbs 11:26.